Results 2,701-2,720 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (14 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I liked the words used by the Minister of State when he described our contribution as being always "enlightening, interesting and informative," and I wrote them down. I thank him for his response and I also thank my colleagues here for their contributions. In a personal sense, I have made 59 new friends since I joined the other Members of the Seanad three years ago. That is why the place...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (14 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Fergus O'Dowd, to the House. It is appropriate to say, in the presence of a Louth Minister of State, that when one crossed the Louth border on counting day, 6 October 2013, there was a large area all through Meath and Kildare and down through the Dublin constituencies that ended quite...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I join colleagues in thanking the Minister for his conduct of the Bill, which deals with matters of maritime organisation and safety. His replies to points raised were full and comprehensive, and he was open to the amendment proposed by Senator Naughton in regard to the duties of harbour masters. We learned a great deal in the course of this debate.

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I seek the Minister's assurance that this will not reduce visitor numbers to Ireland. He was promoting the wild Atlantic way, boating tourism, the Fastnet Race and so on. I hope there will be no administrative burden involved because it is an area of tourism in which we can expand considerably, given the exciting Irish coastline, especially along the west.

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister for a comprehensive and full reply. I wish to withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I pass on compliments to the Minister from the same seafaring people, who say that machines such as personal watercraft or jet skis are an absolute menace and frequently travel at high speed in confined waters. The Minister's registration of jet skis has support among the maritime community, who say they are a danger to swimmers. It is important to note that these jet skis are used by drug...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 5: In page 13, line 18, to delete “for an initial period of up to 5 years” and substitute “for the period of each ownership”.The advice I was given on section 9 was that there are advantages to yachts voluntarily registering. It is analogous to the way in which establishing and proving ownership of a house by way of title deeds removes much of...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I express concern at the report by Fionnan Sheahan in the Irish Independenttoday that loans of up to 95% will be offered to young borrowers for housing. Undoubtedly, this will inflate house prices. This has happened in a similar scheme in the United Kingdom and is something we do not need. The British "help-to-buy" scheme for houses worth up to £800,000 only inflated the market, as...

Seanad: Abduction of Nigerian Children: Motion (13 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I join in the sentiments expressed in the motion. It is very sad that we must hear about these despicable events, in particular the spiriting away of 230 girls from their boarding school and the attacks on the education of women, boarding schools and western education, as it is perceived. One hopes better temperaments will prevail and that it will be seen that education is not a threat to...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Second Stage (13 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister and this Bill. Competing airports are a feature of modern aviation. Once we deregulated airlines, the deregulation of airports followed. I gather that it was stated in Westminster today that Gatwick and Heathrow will compete against each other in regard to where capacity in the south east of England should be installed. When they were both part of the British...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members (Amendment) Bill 2014: First Stage (13 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act, 1947 and to make provision for related matters.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members (Amendment) Bill 2014: First Stage (13 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: At 3.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 14 May.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (13 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his consideration. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 14, the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014 – First Stage, be taken.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (13 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome Senator Bacik's response to the Guerin report. It is interesting that the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, is coming here this afternoon. At a very early stage, he called Sergeant McCabe and Garda Wilson "distinguished" rather than the other "D" word. I believe the Minister was right. The whistleblowers are completely vindicated by the Guerin report. I want to express concerns about...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: Earlier I raised the issue of postcodes and asked the Deputy Leader to take up the matter. Let me comment on the escalation of costs in nine months from €15 million to €24 million.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: All the people responsible were men, which may be the problem.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Deputy Leader.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I congratulate the Ministers whose appointments have just been announced to us and wish them every success in their new roles. I thank the former Minister, Deputy Shatter, for being most sympathetic on issues we raised here with him, such as the rights of tenants in buy-to-lets and the insolvency issue. I recall one debate that went on late into the night and he was most courteous in...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (7 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State and I congratulate the Senators who tabled the splendidly worded motion; I wish it every success. One of the problems that has disturbed and distorted the work of the House since we were elected three years ago is that we have to give €85 billion to banks. On today's Order of Business we discussed terms of reference of the banking inquiry and that yet...

Seanad: Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (7 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: This section abolishes the requirement for societies to submit at least once every three years a return, or triennial return, of the members and their holdings to the registrar. That seems to go against what the Minister of State said in that it is relaxing the conditions. If we have fears, let us see who the members are every three years and what their holdings are. I support what the...